Badlesmere, Kent

Badlesmere

St. Leonard's church
Badlesmere
 Badlesmere shown within Kent
Population 111 
DistrictSwale
Shire countyKent
RegionSouth East
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Police Kent
Fire Kent
Ambulance South East Coast
EU Parliament South East England
List of places
UK
England
Kent

Coordinates: 51°15′32″N 0°53′06″E / 51.259°N 0.885°E

Badlesmere is a village and civil parish in the Swale district of Kent, England, and about five miles south of Faversham.

It was once called Basmere.[1] There has been a recorded settlement (under the name 'Badelesmere') as far back as the Domesday Book. Which also mentioned that in the time of King Edward the Confessor, the parish was worth sixty shillings. The manor was previously owned by Odo, Earl of Kent (as the Bishop of Bayeux). But after his trial (for fraud) in 1076. His assets were re-apportioned including Badlesmere. The abbot of St. Augustine's then claimed this manor.[1]

During King Richard I reign (1157–1199), the manor was held by 'Guncelin de Badlesmere', who had accompanied the king during his Siege of Acon in Palestine.[1] The manor passed through several generations of the Badlesmere family. Including, Gunselm de Badlesmere (Justice of Chester and Cheshire 1232 – 1301), 'Bartholomew de Badlesmere' (governor of Leeds Castle) after November 1317). He then obtained the king's licence to found a Priory on his lands. But nothing came to this licence.[1]

In 1523, Sir Thomas Randolph (an eminent statesman within Queen Elizabeth's reign) was born here.[1]

The church, dedicated to St Leonard, is a grade II* listed[2] Anglican church, described as 'interesting as a small, quite unremarkable church' which was not 'restored' in the Victorian era.[3] Its interior is 13th century and 18th century. It has a complete set of Georgian box pews.

The quiet village green (known as Badlesmere Lees) lies off the main road between Faversham & Ashford.

The parish has been linked for many years with that of Leaveland, whose mediaeval church, which is very different from Badlesmere. It has a crown-post roof and a 16th-century monument to a local family survived the Victorian restoration.

Badlesmere is also a word used in The Meaning of Liff (book by Douglas Adams) to define "Someone who dishonestly ticks the "I have read the terms and conditions" box on a website".[4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Hasted, Edward (1800). "Parishes". The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent (Institute of Historical Research) 6: 467–481. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  2. ↑ British listed buildings 21 July 2013
  3. ↑ John Newman, North East and East Kent, (The Buildings of England series), Penguin Books, 1991, p. 131.
  4. ↑ Lloyd, John (10 August 2013). "SIGNS OF THE TIMES; John Lloyd introduces our exclusive extract from 'Afterliff', his new "dictionary of things there should be words for' – successor to 'The Meaning of Liff', one of the most popular books ever written". Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 8 February 2014.

External links